Unique Penns Creek Brown Trout Markings

[PSUturf91]

Jason is actually who I spoke to about the trout in the OP. I sent him a picture of a 19 3/4 inch fish that I caught in Feb of 2014 with a missing adipose. He said it appeared to be an old wild trout that was passed his prime (at just under 20 inches) and lost his adipose either naturally, or from a fisherman. I also asked him this question about fish age and length in Penns and I am awaiting a response now. Stay tuned!

 

[pcray1231]

Regarding the 14 inch Penns trout being 4 years, that really surprises me. I was inferring year classes based on catch rates, which admittedly, is not a perfect sampling method.

But, for instance, if fishing in April/May, I almost never catch anything under 6 inches. That's despite catching many fish under that in other waters with similar tactics. But I catch plenty 6-8" in Penn's. I always assumed the young of the year were still too small to catch and that 6-8 inch range represented the 1+ year class.

Then likewise there aren't many in the 9-10" range. But plenty in the 12-15" range. So I assumed they were the 2+ class.

And then there are an impressive number at 16, 17, 18". But they are noticeably more mature than the 13-15 inchers. Thicker, males have kypes, etc. Figured 3+ class, with older fish mixed in, as with the 20" mark representing a seeming unofficial barrier perhaps growth rates slowed considerably after 3 years in this stream.

I fully believe there are fish in the 20s and 5-10 years old. There has to be. Rare but present. I just never seem to find them. Again, I'm not tossing big streamers at night either...

Anyway, I do tend to believe the PFBC and their electroshocking sampling methods and meticulous record keeping over my rod and reel sampling, eyeball measuring and memory based record keeping. . I'm just surprised, that's all.

 

[pcray1231]

On further review, it does look like the PFBC knows what they're talking about. .

http://fishandboat.com/images/fisheries/afm/2007/3x09_25penns.htm

June sampling. Pick any one year and follow down the number of fish at each size. Year classes are apparent for smaller sizes but not for larger.

2007, for instance. The young of the year are centered on 2" or below. The 1 and change aged year class is a bell shaped curve centered on 7". The 2 and change year class is all above 10". But from 11" and up, it's just a linear decline with no obvious holes. Meaning, growth must slow, and with variability in any one year class and low separation between year classes, they just all run together. Very possibly an 11 incher is 2 and change years but a 14 incher could be 3, 4, or even 5 years old. An 18 incher anywhere from 4 years up to whatever age they live to.

So I was pretty accurate under 12". But I tried to ascribe year classes over that when there really are no distinct year classes at that point.

I notice, no 20+ fish. Also interesting that size of a given year class varies from year to year. I'd assume due to water/weather conditions.

 

[barbless]

If the fish that started this thread was caught in the C&R section between the parking lot and the PFBC meadow, I think it's the same one I caught a few weeks ago and identified as a tiger trout. I didn't get a photo, but the markings look familiar. I'm used to seeing clearly defined and separated spots, not spots clustered in stripey markings, as seen on that trout.

 

[Reeder]

I tend to agree with Pcray...there are a number of things to look for that all add up to the bigger picture of whether a trout is wild or not, and none of them alone are right every time.
I am always skeptical about the presence of translucent fins and tails, or lack thereof in a photograph as an indicator of stocked or wild. Flash, glare, lighting, distance and color of objects behind fins, along with flash glare and lighting on them can and does play tricks on the camera. I have pictures of the same fish taken seconds apart in which the fins appear opaque and a second picture with a finger behind one and it is very translucent. I have pictures of trout with spots that go from red or orange to completely black in the next photo. Blue/black spots behind the eye can appear and disappear depending on what angle you get the shot from. Stocked rainbows have translucent fins and tails after some time in the water.
The tail of the brown in the OP very clearly shows the net through it. The fins also have that two tone color appearance, which very closely matches the coloring of the water and rock in the background. Those fins very well may be translucent, the tail certainly is. Whether they are or aren't, I would lean towards stocked but held over for a long time. I have seen this connected "spot" pattern much more often this year in the state stocked browns. While wild trout are not immune to fin damage, these are the freshly stocked, mutilated and rubbed down to the nub variety that leave no doubt in anyone's mind about their origins. None that are as clean and defined as the photo above, but definitely the same overall pattern.